French Emotions Vocabulary

Here are French words for emotions to start with: fâché (angry), heureux (happy), triste (sad), enthousiaste (excited). Below are 48 words (A1–B2) with their English translations and part of speech, across 6 themed lists.

A smiling baby peeking out from behind a wall
Photo: StockSnap

Emotions Basics

A1–B1
EnglishFrenchTypeLevel
angryfâchéadjA1
excitedenthousiasteadjA1
happyheureuxadjA1
sadtristeadjA1
disappointeddéçuadjA2
happinessbonheurnounA2
joyjoienounA2
sadnesstristessenounB1

The rest of this pack is in the app

Emotions Intermediate

A1–B1
EnglishFrenchTypeLevel
hungryaffaméadjA1
peacepaixnounA1
tiredfatiguéadjA1
boreds'ennuyeradjA2
nervousnerveuxadjA2
angercolèrenounB1
anxietyanxiéténounB1
calmcalmeadjB1

Emotions Advanced

A2–B2
EnglishFrenchTypeLevel
pridefierténounA2
emotionémotionnounB1
excitementexcitationnounB1
fondnessaffectionnounB1
gratitudegratitudenounB1
irritateirriterverbB1
contemptméprisnounB2
empathyempathienounB2

More from this pack waits in the app

Complex Emotions

B1–B2
EnglishFrenchTypeLevel
admirationadmirationnounB1
envyenvienounB1
guiltculpabiliténounB1
shamehontenounB1
aweémerveillementnounB2
dreadeffroinounB2
resentmentressentimentnounB2
spitedépitnounB2

Positive Emotions

A1–B2
EnglishFrenchTypeLevel
pleasureplaisirnounA1
confidenceassurancenounB1
delightravissementnounB1
ecstasyextasenounB1
enthusiasmenthousiasmenounB1
warmthchaleurnounB1
contentmentcontentementnounB2
optimismoptimismenounB2

Negative Emotions

B1–B2
EnglishFrenchTypeLevel
annoyanceagacementnounB1
despairdésespoirnounB1
rageragenounB1
sorrowchagrinnounB1
terrorterreurnounB1
hopelessnessdésespérancenounB2
lonelinesssolitudenounB2
rejectionrejetnounB2

Keep going with this pack in the app

Emoji: Twemoji, CC-BY 4.0

A sample of the A1–B2 words. The rest are in the app

Watch Your LanguageVocabulary widgets for iPhone & Apple Watch

These lists show a sample of the A1–B2 words for emotions. The packs in Watch Your Language hold more and reach the advanced levels, along with every other topic.

The app shows them to you a few at a time, in a widget on your iPhone Lock Screen and on your Apple Watch face, and brings back the ones you keep forgetting.

Common questions

Which French words should I learn for emotions?

You could start with words like fâché (angry), heureux (happy), triste (sad), enthousiaste (excited). This page lists 48 French words for emotions (A1–B2), each with its English translation and part of speech.

How can I remember these French words?

Reading a list once is rarely enough. Watch Your Language shows French words like these in a widget on your iPhone Lock Screen and on your Apple Watch face, and schedules repeats so the words you keep forgetting come back more often.

Are these word lists free?

Yes. The lists on this page are free to read, with no sign-up. The app holds more words for each topic.

More French word lists